Reflections of a beloved son

Let us not be too quick to judge. Sometimes what we see may not reflect what is really going on. Our Lord challenged His disciples to not see as man sees but to see as God sees. And, God sees the heart. People come to conversion at the level of the heart. Do not allow what your physical eyes may see prevent you from seeing with the eyes of your heart.

" Does our law condemn a man before it first hearts him and finds out what he is doing? "  This is what Nicodemus asked his fellow Pharisee brothers.  They ridiculed him.    Do I judge someone's character before getting to know them?   It is so easy to do so. The scenario in today's Gospel (Jn. 7:40-53) is that there are people who are beginning to believe that Jesus is "the Prophet" and "the Christ," because they have "heard these words of Jesus."  But in order to see what "these words" were we must rewind a bit in John's gospel.  These are the words that Jesus said: "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of flowing water will flow from within him'" (Jn. 7:37b-38).  Jesus was promising the sending of the Holy Spirit.  Because the people listen to what Jesus was saying and spent time trying to get to know Him, they came to believe. In order to g...

"Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way  they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?   By no means!   But I tell you, if you do not repent,  you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed  when the tower at Siloam fell on them—  do you think they were more guilty  than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?   By no means!   But I tell you, if you do not repent,  you will all perish as they did!" Jesus tells us that just because we perceive something as a certain way, the reality may not be the case - in fact it may be drastically different.  How we perceive things is tainted by our biases and preconceived notions of things and people .  " Look at that young homeless man.  He must be addicted on drugs and now have no money and no job."  "She probably doesn't speak English well.  Look at her."  "Wow.  He was once at the top of...